Grahaa, a startup based in Bengaluru, is set to launch its Solaras S2 technology demonstration nanosatellite using the Hanbit-Nano rocket developed by Innospace, a company from South Korea. This launch will occur at the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil, as part of the mission dubbed “Spaceward,” which has a launch window extending from October 28 to November 28.
The Hanbit-Nano rocket is designed as a two-stage vehicle, standing 21.7 meters tall, and is capable of carrying up to 90 kilograms of payload to an altitude of 500 kilometers. The upcoming mission will transport a total of eight payloads, including five small satellites that will detach from the rocket and three that will remain aboard the upper stage.
This launch marks a significant milestone as it is the first orbital flight approved by the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) for a private South Korean company. Innospace is collaborating closely with the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for the mission”s execution.
Soojong Kim, the founder and CEO of Innospace, stated, “This authorization demonstrates that Hanbit-Nano has met all requirements for safety, mission capability, environmental and security standards, officially recognizing its technical and legal reliability as the first commercial launch vehicle approved for launch by a South Korean private company. As the Spaceward mission is not merely a flight test but a historic milestone announcing our entry into the commercial space transportation market, our entire team is committed to ensuring a stable and successful launch.”
Grahaa”s objectives include providing near real-time geospatial videos from its constellation of Earth observation nanosatellites. The company aims to enable on-demand data acquisition for any location on the planet. The Solaras technology demonstration missions are intended to validate its communications module, test optical payloads for streaming geospatial data, and showcase intersatellite communications.
The technology behind this endeavor emerged from a need to support India”s Smart Cities initiative through satellite data, aiming to alleviate the reliance on CCTV cameras. The founders of Grahaa have prior experience working on educational satellites in collaboration with SpaceKidz India.
